Tim Yeo: David Cameron should ignore the euro-obsessives and stand up to Ukip

Tim Yeo has a message for his fellow Conservatives: don't let Ukip call the tune. I've interviewed him this morning (you can read it in full here): his reflections after his de-selection are a call to arms to those who have so far remained silent in the face of the campaign to drag David Cameron to the right in an attempt to see off Nigel Farage. He isn't rude about the grassroots, but he argues that the party's shrinking membership has left it vulnerable to activists with "extreme" views.

On the other hand he is biting about some of his fellow MPs. He says David Cameron is experiencing the difficulties John Major did at the hands of a bunch of euro-obsessives who "are more concerned about that than the Conservative party staying in power". He doesn't quite name Bernard Jenkin, but you know who he has in mind when he says: "We've got these obsessives like the people who organise this letter-writing to the Prime Minister on negotiation."

His main target though is Ukip. “If we allow Ukip and our fear of Ukip to be what drives our policy that will lead us undoubtedly to defeat … I believe the right way to deal with Ukip is to become more like the traditional Conservative Party with a broad appeal to the Right and the centre.”

Mr Yeo's career, and his ejection from his seat, mean that for many he is not a credible figure to discuss the reasons for the party's lack of success or voter disenchantment with politics. He has always been outspoken however on the need for the Tories to campaign from the pragmatic centre. Mr Cameron has been buffeted by the irreconcilables in his parliamentary party who want to do him in, and those who won't stand up to them. By urging his colleagues to put aside their fear of Ukip and stand up for a broad, centrist Conservative tradition, will Mr Yeo prompt others to speak out too?